The present application relates to a capsule for an electronic smoking device and a system comprising an electronic smoking device and a capsule, which can be mounted to the electronic smoking device.
An electronic smoking device, such as an electronic cigarette, usually comprises a housing accommodating an electric power source (e.g., a battery), an atomizer including an electric heater adapted to atomize a liquid supplied from a reservoir or capsule into an aerosol, and control electronics which controls activation of the heater. A puff detector provided within the electronic smoking device is arranged to detect a user puffing on the device (e.g., by sensing an under-pressure or an air flow pattern through the device) and signals the puff to the control electronics. When a signal is detected the control electronics activates the atomizer, which creates an aerosol. The action of the atomizer is referred to as “atomizing” and the related product is called an “aerosol”, irrespective of its composition, which might include gaseous and smoke constituents.
The capsule is usually disposable. This eliminates the risk for the user of contacting the liquid when refilling a non-disposable reservoir. With a disposable container or capsule, the user simply replaces the capsule as a whole when it is empty or when a different type of liquid is to be atomized.
However, the amount of liquid remaining in a capsule cannot easily be detected by the electronic smoking device, and the capsule cannot be authenticated.
Consequently engineering challenges remain in the design of electronic smoking device and capsule systems.